• Solid and chunky build quality
• Boring colour and trim options
• Not the last word in style

How’s the quality and layout?

Climb in to the Toyota Yaris and you’ll find a cabin that’s both functional and utilitarian. The plastics feel sturdy if not plush, although the use of textures on the door cards make them pleasant to touch. The indicator stalks seem particularly robust, plus, they make a loud and old-school indicator noise.

The dash itself is dark, even if you can choose two silver colour schemes for the seats and door inserts to offset this. Compared with the Renault Clio and Peugeot 208, it feels a bit older and not as special. But the Yaris remains a more colourful place to spend time in than a Skoda Fabia.

Sit in the driver’s seat and the instrument panel consists of two circular, digital screens and a trip computer ahead of you, with high-spec models getting a fully digital instrument cluster.

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Annoyingly, the door-mounted switches for the windows and mirrors are positioned in such a way that when you try to adjust your door mirrors, the palm of your hand can rest on the window switches, causing you to open them by mistake. You also still get manual rear windows on entry-level Icon models, which feels a bit penny-pinching.

For 2024, Toyota has updated its GR Sport trim cars with new, larger display screens and additional sporty touches around the cabin, while the Excel model gets a slightly posher-feeling seat material.

Infotainment and tech

Good news; every Yaris comes with Apple CarPlay/Android auto, DAB radio and USB sockets.

The infotainment screen size is dependent on which model you choose. Before the 2024 update, lower-spec models featured a small 7.0-inch screen, but since then even entry-level versions get a clear 9.0-inch unit. Top-spec Excel and GR Sport get a larger 10.5-inch screen, which is clearer but works in the same way. Broadly, the software is a bit old-school next to a Renault Clio but is easy to use, which is a theme throughout the Yaris.

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We also rate the 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster that is fitted to the two top-spec models. It’s clear and offers pin-sharp graphics. Though lacking some of the customisation that you might find in a Volkswagen Polo, for example, we like its clear displays that tell you the information you need and nothing you don’t.

Comfort

• Firm front seats
• Room for six-footers in the rear
• Easy to see out of

The seats are firm with good side support, but the seat base might be a little short for taller drivers. Despite sitting lower than the previous model, you still have a good view over the dashboard. The windscreen pillars have also been moved back closer to the occupants in a bid to reduce blind spots.

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Rear seat passengers won’t be quite so pleased because there’s not a lot of space back there, especially for taller drivers. The fairly small rear windows and generally dark interior can also make you feel quite hemmed in. A Honda Jazz is a more comfortable car in general.